User Manual

17
Installing and Using the Nortel Networks Wireless LAN Mobile Adapter 2202
Preliminary Draft - Nortel Networks Confidential
Chapter 1
Overview
Nortel Networks WLAN - Mobile Adapter 2202
configuration modes
You can configure the Nortel Networks WLAN - Mobile Adapter 2202 to work in
either infrastructure mode or ad hoc mode. For information on specifying the
configuration mode, see “Connecting to a network” on page 40.
Infrastructure (access point) mode
In infrastructure mode, devices communicate with each other through an access
point (AP). In this mode, wireless devices can communicate with each other as
well as with work stations, file servers, and other components on a wired network
(Figure 1). When one AP is connected to a wired network and a set of wireless
stations, it is referred to as a BSS (Basic Service Set).
In infrastructure mode, the wireless network adapter utilizes a BSS as a station
and communicates with other wireless stations and with the components in the
wired network through the access point.